Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length

ABSTRACT

A Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length providing accurate bra size.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of determining brassiere (or “bra”) size which includes measurement of breast volume and chest circumference using a measuring device, which measurement is matched with the corresponding cup volume and band length of manufactured bra designs.

2. Description of Related Art

In the art of bra size measurement, many variations have been developed for determining cup size and band size. It is estimated that as many as 80% of individuals who wear a bra wear the incorrect size.

Common practice for measuring bra band size is to measure the circumference of the chest directly beneath the inframammary fold. The circumference in inches, rounded to the next even number, is said to be the band size. Band sizes are not standardized and vary between manufacturers. Furthermore, band size does not directly correlate with chest circumference in inches. Additionally, band size by a single manufacturer often varies by bra design. This results in difficulty finding the correct bra band size due to the inconsistency caused by lack of accurate and/or standardized measurements.

Common practice for determining bra cup size is to measure the circumference of the natural, unclothed bust at the fullest point of the breasts in inches (“Measurement 1”), measure the circumference of the chest directly beneath the inframammary fold in inches (“Measurement 2”), and subtract Measurement 2 from Measurement 1. The resulting number, in inches, is associated with a cup size, with each inch equalling one numerical cup size. This process is complicated and prone to user error. Also, cup sizes are not standardized and vary between manufacturers. Furthermore, cup size by a single manufacturer often varies by bra design. Additionally, this practice does not account for variations in breast shape which can result in inaccurate measurements. The resulting inconsistencies makes finding the correct bra cup size difficult and prone to error. Also, the traditional modes of bra cup size measurement do not account for those with two different sized breasts.

Size charts by bra manufacturers rely on traditional measurement methods whether or not their cup sizes match exactly. Furthermore, they utilize a single size chart without making a distinction between variations in size between their bra designs.

Prior art such as Tape Measure for Bra Sizing (U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,761B1) and Method of Bra Size Determination by Direct Measurement of the Breast (U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,809) rely on traditional methods of bra cup and bra band measurement in inches and do not account for variation in manufacturer cup and band sizes, which leads to the same common issue of difficulty finding the correct bra band and bra cup size and lack of accommodation for diverse breast shapes.

Hence, there is a clear need for a Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length which not only provides a standardized method of volumetric bra cup and linear bra band measurement, but also provides a system by which an individual can identify the size that most closely matches their anatomy by manufactured bra design.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bra cup and band size measurements and inconsistencies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length whereby the same can be utilized for providing accurate bra cup and band sizes by matching the individual's circumferential chest and volumetric breast measurements as determined using a measuring tool to the volumetric cup and band length measurements of manufactured bras by cross-referencing using a database and interface to match the measurements of an individual with the measurements of bra designs.

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be subsequently described in greater detail, is to provide a reliable and accurate means by which to determine bra size.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a measuring device with numerical intervals for determining breast volume and chest circumference, a database of measurements of cup volume capacity, band length, manufacturer designated cup size and manufacturer designated band size of manufactured bras, and an interface into which a user may enter the measuring device values for their breast volume and chest circumference and be matched with the manufacturer and bra design whose cup volume and band length most closely match the user's breast volume and chest circumference, respectively.

The measuring device for breast volume may be physical or digital and is used to measure the unclothed breast with the individual seated or standing in an upright position from the medial inframammary fold to the lateral inframammary fold along the fullest part of the breast to determine the arc length of the breast. The arc length is then categorized into an alphanumeric interval. The measuring device intervals begin at 4 inches and increase in increments of 0.75 inches where the alphanumeric interval value corresponds to an arc length equal to the average of the inch values within the interval and its corresponding average hemispheric volume calculated as V=(⅔)π(L/π)³ where “V” equals volume and “L” equals the average arc length of the interval.

The measuring device for chest circumference may be physical or digital and is used to measure the circumference of the torso using a horizontal measure just below the inframammary fold to determine the chest circumference in inches.

The database is digital and contains three tables: one for bras, one for user metrics, and one for user data.

In the bra table, there are columns for “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size”, “bra band size”, “cup arc length”, “cup hemispheric volume”, and “band length”. The “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size” and “bra band size” values are aggregated from the product data of the bra manufacturer. The “cup arc length” is determined by measuring the interior of the bra cup horizontally from edge to edge along the deepest part of the cup in inches. The “cup volume” is calculated using the “cup arc length” value in the formula V=(⅔)π(L/π)³ where “V” equals volume and “L” equals the cup arc length. The “band length” value is calculated by measuring the bra horizontally along the band from the end of the right wing to the end of the left wing in inches.

In the user metrics table, there are columns for “interval” and “volume”. Each alphanumeric interval value used in the measuring device has its own entry in the “interval” column. For each alphanumeric interval value, the corresponding hemispheric volume value (calculated as V=(⅔)π(L/π)³ where “V” equals volume and “L” equals the average arc length) of the interval is entered in the “volume” column of that row.

In the user table, there are columns for “breast measurement”, “breast volume” and “chest circumference”. “Breast measurement” is the alphanumeric interval value determined by the user by measuring their breast with the measuring device. “Breast measurement” is entered into the database by the user. “Breast volume” is the hemispheric volume which corresponds with the alphanumeric interval value entered by the user. The “breast volume” value is generated by querying the user metrics table for the “interval” value which matches the user-entered “breast measurement” value and copying the corresponding “volume” value from the user metrics table into the “breast volume” cell of the user table. The “chest circumference” is the numerical value determined by the user measuring their chest circumference with the measuring device and entered into the database by the user.

The database is connected to an interface whereby users may enter their breast and chest measurements. Upon a user entering their breast and chest measurement values into the interface, the “breast volume” value will be calculated in the user table and the digital interface will query the bra table for entries in which “cup hemispheric volume” most closely match “breast volume”, and “band length” most closely match “chest circumference”. A set of results will be displayed in the interface indicating “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size” and “bra band size” values from the bra table for which “cup hemispheric volume” most closely match “breast volume”, and “band length” most closely match “chest circumference”.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of assembly and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

A second object is to establish a method of brassiere size determination that matches the individual with a bra manufacturer, design, and cup size based on the similarity of the measured hemispheric volume of the breast with the measured hemispheric volume of the bra cups.

Another object is to establish a method of brassiere size determination that matches the individual with a bra manufacturer, design, and band size based on the similarity of the measured chest circumference of the individual with the measured band length of the bra.

A further object is to establish a method of brassiere size determination that is consistent and mathematical.

Another object is to establish a method of brassiere size determination which can calculate the hemispheric volume of each individual breast.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a front view illustrating the direct measurement of the unclothed breasts and chest circumference with the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the breasts with the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the chest circumference with the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts an inner view of a bra illustrating the direct measurement of the cups and band length with the method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the basic procedure for utilizing the method of the present invention.

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1—Frontal view of location of the breast measurement     -   2—Frontal view of location of the lateral inframammary fold     -   3—Frontal view of location of the medial inframammary fold     -   4—Frontal view of location of the chest circumference         measurement     -   5—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the lateral         inframammary fold     -   6—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the medial         inframammary fold     -   7—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the breast         measurement     -   8—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the chest         circumference measurement     -   9—Inner view of the location of the bra cup measurement     -   10—Inner view of the location of the lateral edge of the bra cup     -   11—Inner view of the location of the medial edge of the bra cup     -   12—Inner view of the location of the bra band measurement     -   13—Inner view of the location of the end of the left wing of the         bra band     -   14—Inner view of the location of the end of the right wing of         the bra band     -   15—Step of aggregating and entering bra data into bra database         table     -   16—Step of entering measurement intervals and volume data into         user metrics database table     -   17—Step of measuring the breast arc length and chest         circumference     -   18—Step of entering breast arc length and chest circumference         into user data database table via the interface     -   19—Step of querying user metrics database table for matching         interval values and copying the corresponding volume value to         the user data table     -   20—Step of querying bra data database table for matching bra cup         volume and band length values that match the breast volume value         and chest circumference value entered into the user data table     -   21—Step of displaying results from database query     -   22—Database holding the tables

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventor provides a unique Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length to determine the correct bra size by determining the hemispheric volume of bra cups and breasts and the chest circumference and band size in inches and matching the individual's measurements with measurements of bra designs.

The present invention is described in enabling detail in the following examples, which may represent more than one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 depicts a front view illustrating the direct measurement of the unclothed breasts and chest circumference from an upright position with the method of the present invention. The measuring device for breast volume is used to measure the breast from the lateral inframammary fold 2 to the medial inframammary fold 3 along the fullest part of the breast 1 to determine the arc length of the breast. The measuring device for chest circumference is used to measure the circumference of the torso 4 using a horizontal measure just below the inframammary fold to determine the chest circumference.

FIG. 2 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the unclothed breasts with the method of the present invention measuring the arc length of the breast 7 from the medial inframammary fold 6 to the lateral inframammary fold 5.

FIG. 3 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the chest circumference with the method of the present invention. The measuring device for chest circumference is used to measure the circumference of the torso 8 using a horizontal measure just below the inframammary fold to determine the chest circumference.

FIG. 4 depicts an inner view of a bra illustrating the direct measurement of the cups and band length with the method of the present invention. The cup arc length is determined by measuring the interior of the bra cup horizontally from the medial edge 11 to the lateral edge 10 along the deepest part of the cup 9. The “band length” value is calculated by measuring the bra horizontally along the band 12 from the end of the left wing 13 to the end of the right wing 14.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the basic procedure for utilizing the method of the present invention. A database 22 containing three tables (one for bras, one for user metrics, and one for user data) stores the data. In the bra table, data is aggregated and entered for “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size”, “bra band size”, “cup arc length”, “cup hemispheric volume”, and “band length” 15. In the user metrics table 16, each alphanumeric interval value used in the measuring device has its own entry in the “interval” column. For each alphanumeric interval value, the corresponding hemispheric volume value as calculated using the aforementioned formula is entered in the “volume” column of that row. The user measures their breast and chest using the measurement method 17. The database is connected to a digital interface whereby users may enter their breast measurement interval and chest circumference 18. In the user table, there is a cell for “breast measurement”, “breast volume” and “chest circumference”. “Breast measurement” is the alphanumeric interval value determined by the user by measuring their breast(s) with the measuring device. “Breast measurement” is entered into the database by the user. The “chest circumference” is the numerical value determined by the user measuring their chest circumference with the measuring device and entered into the database by the user. “Breast volume” is the hemispheric volume which corresponds with the alphanumeric interval value entered by the user. The “breast volume” value is automatically generated by querying the user metrics table for the “interval” value which matches the entered “breast measurement” value and copying the corresponding “volume” value from the user metrics table into the “breast volume” cell of the user table 19. Upon a user entering their breast measurement interval and chest circumference values into the interface, the “breast volume” value will be propagated in the user table and the digital interface will query the bra table for entries in which “cup hemispheric volume” most closely match “breast volume” and “band length” most closely match “chest circumference” 20. A set of results will be displayed in the interface 21 indicating “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size” and “bra band size” values from the bra table for entries in which “cup hemispheric volume” most closely match “breast volume” and “band length” most closely match “chest circumference”.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner and usage of operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description, then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly, and use are deemed to be within the expertise of those skilled in the art, and all equivalent structural variations and relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown, described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length comprising: a. a 0.75-inch interval based measurement of the breast taken by digital or physical means by measuring from the medial inframammary fold to the lateral inframammary fold along the fullest part of the breast which correlates with a specific arc length of the breast and is used to calculate the hemispheric volume of the breast; b. a measurement of the chest circumference taken in inches by digital or physical means by measuring the circumference of the torso just below the inframammary fold; c. a measurement of bra cup volume determined by measuring the interior of the bra cup horizontally from medial edge to lateral edge along the deepest part of the cup in inches to find the cup arc length which is used to calculate the cup volume; d. a measurement of bra band length calculated by measuring the bra horizontally along the band from the end of the right wing to the end of the left wing; e. a user interface into which user data may be entered and which queries the database tables for bra data, user data, and user metrics to display results of bra cup volume which most closely match breast volume and bra band length which most closely match chest circumference.
 2. The method of brassiere size determination by direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length of claim 1 wherein the measurement is taken in a measurement interval other than inches.
 3. The method of brassiere size determination by direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length of claim 1 wherein the volumetric calculations and size matching is done by analog instead of digital means.
 4. The method of brassiere size determination by direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length of claim 1 wherein the intervals for breast arc length are more or less than 0.75 inches. 